Verdelho

Verdelho is a native of Portugal and the island of Madeira where it is used mainly for the production of fortified wines (White Port and Madeira.) Over recent years it has also been used for table wines. The Spanish variety Verdejo is similar, but DNA profiling shows that it is genetically distinct.

In Australia, the Verdelho grape variety has been used to make white table wines especially in Western Australia and the Hunter Valley in NSW. It has become increasingly popular in many other districts. It is at the stage of challenging Sauvignon blanc as a preferred variety for those seeking an alternative to Chardonnay.

In his book Varietal Wines, James Halliday says

"The success of Verdelho as a table wine in Australia is an extraordinary phenomenon without any obvious explanation"

Sorry James, I beg to differ. To anyone who puts their nose over a glass of Verdelho the explanation is very obvious. Verdelho wines are becoming more popular because they are straight-forward and they smell and taste like they are made from grapes. They will never be great wines, but many are just the ticket for informal lunches. Varietal Verdelho wines are much better than overoaked and overpriced Chardonnays, or one dimensional Sauvignon Blanc that so many wine writers enthuse about.

Some of the great 'Classic Dry Whites' of WA have a dollop of Verdelho in them along with Semillon, Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc

Food pairing with Verdelho

These fruity white wines are versatile enough to fill a number of food pairing niches. They are often quite drinkable without food, say for a late afternoon drink with friends. You can Verdelho wine with tapas or appetisers, say a couple of freshly shucked oysters. The sweetness of verdelho can also be matched with the spiciness of Asian cuisine.

There are many food pairing ideas for varietal wines at the Albarino to Zinfandel guide

The list below shows wineries using Verdelho in Australia

You can buy some Verdelho by visiting our friends at Winemakers Choice.